Comments on: Citywide Wi-Fi isn't dead yet

Even as EarthLink is scaling back deployments, some cities and regional networks are pushing forward with plans to build citywide Wi-Fi networks.

[wsuschmitt]

Successful because they thought it through?

If I'm reading this article right, a successful citywide roll out of Wi-Fi was dependant on the city leaders stating goals and building a business plan that was viable and sticking to those goals and the muni Wi-Fi plans that failed were plans that threw money at an opportunity and hope that something stuck?
How many times have city leaders done this with other projects?
Hopefully, all leadership can take a lesson from this outcome in the municipal Wi-Fi plans, or any other projects that the leaders have to take on for the future: plans that have a sound business sense to them are more likely to succeed than those that are haphazardly thrown together. I hope the cities that are able to roll out Wi-Fi for the masses have constituents that are aware that they have leaders that are able to get something done and vote for these people again in the future.

[regulator1956]

2009

By 2009, WiMax will start to mature and the number of required access points to blanket a city using WiMax will be far less than Wi-Fi.

The system management and ISP connection costs will still be there, but a great percentage of the cost is installing and maintaining hundreds or thousands of Wi-Fi access points.

By 2009, the WiMax receivers will have dropped significantly in price and municipal wireless Internet will start to blanket the country.

I can't predict the weather, but I feel pretty comfortable about this one.

[jacomo]

Simple but effective piece

One needs only watch how 2 networks in deployment show what a true Carrier Grade Network should and can look like. Minneapolis (BelAIr) and the Wireless Mesh in Boston Suburbs (Strix).
Without the right technology ones business plan goes south very quickly.
Future Wireless Distribution:
1. Last 1000-1500Ft Access links to Portable and Mobile Wireless nets will be provided by Wireless Mesh networks-4 & 6 Radio Nodes using 802.11n for the backhaul.
2. Metro Area or Wide Area Broadband Nets (WAN) will be based on a 700Mhz WiMAX system that will allow providers to compete with fixed/wired DSL/Cable modem services by leveraging both indoor and portable mobile access with one device (Intel Centrino w/802.11n and 700Mhz WiMAX).
3. CellCO will provide State/County wide Narrowband data and improved Voice coverage in these markest with new FMC/UMA based handoffs betrween the 3 networks.

Jim